List of birds of the Maldives

The following is a list of birds recorded in the Maldives. The small size and isolation of this Indian Ocean republic means that its avifauna is extremely restricted. Most of the species are characteristic of Eurasian migratory birds, only a few being typically associated with the Indian sub-continent. Due to poorness of native avifauna, some people (especially resort owners) deliberately release non-native birds. Some of them, like red lory and budgerigar are established in wild, but are not included in official checklists. This can't pose threat to native ecosystems because Maldives have no endemic birds and all native land birds are common in India and Bangladesh also.

Order	Family	Birds
Anseriformes	Anatidae	Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Garganey, Spatula querquedula Northern pintail, Anas acuta Common teal, Anas crecca Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula
Upupiformes	Upupidae	Hoopoe, Upupa epops
Coraciiformes	Coraciidae	Indian roller, Coracias benghalensis
	Meropidae	European bee-eater, Merops apiaster
Cuculiformes	Cuculidae	Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus Asian koel, Eudynamys scolopacea
Apodiformes	Apodidae	White-throated needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus Common swift, Apus apus Pallid swift, Apus pallidus House swift, Apus affinis
Strigiformes	Strigidae	Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus
Columbiformes	Columbidae	Rock pigeon, Columba livia Turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur Rufous turtle dove, Streptopelia orientalis
Gruiformes	Rallidae	White-breasted waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus Watercock, Gallicrex cinerea Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Common coot, Fulica atra
Charadriiformes	Scolopacidae	Pintail snipe, Gallinago stenura Swinhoe's snipe, Gallinago megala Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata Common redshank, Tringa totanus Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis Greenshank, Tringa nebularia Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Sanderling, Calidris alba Little stint, Calidris minuta Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta Dunlin, Calidris alpina Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Ruff, 'Calidris' pugnax
	Recurvirostridae	Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus
	Charadriidae	Pacific golden plover, Pluvialis fulva Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola Ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus Lesser sand plover, Charadrius mongolus Greater sand plover, Charadrius leschenaultii Caspian plover, Charadrius asiaticus Sociable lapwing, Vanellus gregarius
	Dromadidae	Crab-plover, Dromas ardeola
	Glareolidae	Oriental pratincole, Glareola maldivarum
	Laridae	White-eyed gull, Ichthyaetus leucophthalmus Pallas's gull, Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus Caspian gull, Larus cachinnans Heuglin's gull, Larus heuglini Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia Lesser crested tern, Thalasseus bengalensis Great crested tern, Thalasseus bergii Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii Black-naped tern, Sterna sumatrana Common tern, Sterna hirundo Little tern, Sternula albifrons Saunders's tern, Sternula saundersi Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus White-winged black tern, Chlidonias leucopterus Brown noddy, Anous stolidus White tern, Gygis alba
Accipitriiformes	Pandionidae	Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
	Accipitridae	Oriental honey buzzard, Pernis ptilorhyncus Marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus Pallid harrier, Circus macrourus Montague's harrier, Circus pygargus Common buzzard, Buteo buteo
Falconiformes	Falconidae	Lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni Common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus Amur falcon, Falco amurensis Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo
Phaethontiformes	Phaethontidae	White-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus
Suliformes
	Sulidae	Masked booby, Sula dactylatra Brown booby, Sula leucogaster
	Fregatidae	Great frigatebird, Fregata minor
Pelecaniformes
	Pelecanidae	Great white pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus
	Ardeidae	Little egret, Egretta garzetta Grey heron, Ardea cinerea Purple heron, Ardea purpurea Eastern great egret, Ardea modesta Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis Indian pond heron, Ardeola grayii Striated heron, Butorides striatus Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax Yellow bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis Cinnamon bittern, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus Black bittern, Dupetor flavicollis Great bittern, Botaurus stellaris
	Threskiornithidae	Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
Procellariiformes	Procellariidae	Bulwer's petrel, Bulweria bulwerii Streaked shearwater, Calonectris leucomelas Wedge-tailed shearwater, Puffinus pacificus Flesh-footed shearwater, Puffinus carneipes Tropical shearwater, Puffinus bailloni
	Oceanitidae	Wilson's petrel, Oceanites oceanicus White-faced storm petrel, Pelagodroma marina
Passeriformes	Laniidae	Isabelline shrike, Lanius isabellinus Brown shrike, Lanius cristatus
	Corvidae	House crow, Corvus splendens
	Hirundinidae	Sand martin, Riparia riparia Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica Common house martin, Delichon urbica
	Passeridae	House sparrow, Passer domesticus
	Motacillidae	Yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava Grey wagtail, Motacilla cinerea Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis Red-throated pipit, Anthus cervinus
	Sturnidae	Common myna, Acridotheres tristis

References

• Splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palaearctic lists - Martin Collinson, British Birds vol 99 (June 2006), 306-323